The Washington critic., 1887-12-20
GREENS FOR CHRISTMAS
Maine Forests Contribute TO the AdOm.
ment of Washington Homes,
WHERE THE BEST TREES GROW.
The Business Of Bringing Holly and
Bcmiock to the Markets.


TO the effect that Christmas trees grow
in Santa Claus backyard, and that the
presents grow on them, just as apples or
cherries grow, is erroneous, as the poor
Department clerk who has n family of
children can testify.
The south side of B street, opposite
the Centre Market, is where the Christ
mas trees usually make their first np-
pearancc. There are quite a lot Of these
to-day, and there will be many more to-
morrow. In Il day or so they will begin
to be seen in front of the grocery stores
real rush of the business will begin
Friday.
And there may be more that is inter-
testing in the history of a Christmas tree
than one would think Most people 60
out giving thought TO where its home
was or how much work had to be done
before it got to the market, or how
many years it took good Dame Nature to
make the tree.
AS for the time II takes a tree to grow,
the average age Of tree l0-foot high-as
high as the ceiling Of an ordinary room
is fifteen years; cedar or spruce, n
little more; pine or hemlock, q little
less. To grow half as large it would
take somewhat less than half as long, as
the trees do not increase as rapidly in
size after they are partially grown.
WHERE THE TREES COME FROM.
Most of the trees sold in Washington
come from Maryland. Many thrifty
farmer turns several hundreds of honest
pennies every day during the Christmas
tree season by hauling the trees he has
cut from his farm to this city and SELL
ing them. And there are hundreds of
acres of land in Maryland covered with
trees just right for Christmas use. They
are of almost all sizes, and are carefully
selected before they are cut down. Sew.
eral days ago the farmers who embarked
in this business went out where the
trees grow, selected those of the right
size and cut them down, SO they should
be ready to bring into town as soon as
the season opened Only the best
shaped trees are taken, as the farmers
know that trees not of good shape,
one-sided or crooked, would not be
bought, and it would be worse than use
less to cut them down and bring them
here.
But not all of the Christmas trees
come from Maryland by any means. A
great many come from far-off Maine
and many more from Pennsylvania. 4
few weeks ago there were thousands of
sturdy young pine and spruce trees
bending with their companions in the
Pine Tree State before the bleak, cold
wind that whistled down from Canada,
weighing down their evergreen boughs
with snow long before particle Of
snow was seen in Washington, that are
not there now. Many have gone to New
York and Boston and some have come
here. Weeks ago they were cut from
the roots in the almost painless ever
green wilderness Of Penobscot County,
taken TO the river from which the
county takes its name, perhaps to the
great lumber town Of Bangor, and there
crowded into the dark holds of some OF
the coastwise sailing vessels and started
on their long journey.
Arriving here, tho man or firm who
had ordered them took them and par.
celed them out to the men who sell them
at retail, and so they get to the homes
where they make baby eyes open wide
with wonder and delight.
FROM THE KEYSTONE STATE.
There are c,also many Christmas trees
brought here from the Pennsylvania
forests which so densely cover the coal
lined hills Of the keystone State. These
are mostly hemlock trees, though fai
from exclusively of that species, These
Christmas trees, instead of being crowded
into the hold of slow sailing vessel,
are packed In box-cars and whirled over
the country to their destination ut much
more rapid rate and less dctriment tc
their freshness. When they arrive
here they go the way of all Christmas
trees.
Much holly and small parts Of trees
of all the various kinds that remain
green all the year round are brought here
and sold. Holly mostly comes from Mary
land, but not by any means all of it, but
the mere enumeration of the places
would be of no interest.
A very modest sort of a Christmas tree
can be bought here for % cents, but it
would be quite modest. From this price
the prices run up to any limit, according
to the size, kind of tree and the perfec
ton of its shape.
The custom of having Christmas trees
is becoming more general every year
: This is partly on account of the better
facilities city people now have for get
ting the trees, and also on account ot
tho increasing quantity of bright, gaudy
presents for comparatively little money
just the things for Christmas trees.